Driver Loft Should Match Your Swing Speed

Over the years, I realized that some golfers simply don't have the proper equipment to play golf and this could kill your decision to continue or to stop this beautiful sport. All I hear on a golf club is remarks about their swing, but never on equipment. They think that any sets, the cheapest, could fit to play this game, because they don't play enough during the season. I never said and will never say that, buying more expensive clubs, will make you play better. However if you have the proper equipment for your swing, specially amateur golfers, not only will you enjoy this sport, you will become addicted, as this is the best drug I ever took on my life.

With the advance technology of the golf balls with lower spin rates, manufactures found something new with drivers. During the 80s and 90s people thought that lower the loft, farther the ball would go. What the golf research has found is that in order to obtain distance, the club head should launch the ball at higher angles than in the past. This means that many of us are probably playing drivers with too little loft. Driver loft should match your swing speed. The slower your swing speed, the more lot you should have. If your normal swing speed is between 80 and 90 (the average for most male golfers) you should be using a driver with about 12 degrees of loft. Combined with the new balls this means your launch angle and spin rate will be optimized.

Like I always said in the past, when shopping for a driver in a golf store, if the salesman tells you, that, with that special driver, you will hit 250 yards, knowing your swing speed at 80, just change the salesman or even the store as they are only there to make money with you.

Of course this is just a base recommendation. Reason is, if your swing speed is 100 miles per hour, and because of your golf swing, you are hitting very low, there is always an option to change to a higher loft; however your shaft could be also a problem if you have a very low torque. The best recommendation would be to see a professional custom builder, who has the equipment to verify your swing speed, shafts, golf balls that you are using, the length, etc. He will be able to make recommendations to obtain the normal distance, according to your speed. Remember, he will not make a Tiger Wood with you!